The X Tombs

I recently watched a fascinating documentary on a PBS station regarding the discovery and investigation of the X Tombs in Rome.  Discovered in 2003, these tombs are a series of chambers found in the X quadrant of the Catacombs of St Marcellinus and St Peter along Via Casilina in Rome, Italy.  They contain thousands of male and female corpses all compacted together and neatly ordered.  Archaeologists have yet to determine their identity or even their cultural origins, and the excavation has been ongoing since 2005.

Carbon dating indicates the individuals died in waves beginning in the late first century AD and ending in the early third century, but only a handful of clues remain as to their identities and causes of death.  Archaeologists heading up the research, most notably mass grave specialists Dominique Castex and Philippe Blanchard and head archaeologist Raffaella Giulliana, indicate there aren't any signs of physical trauma, ruling out the possibility they were Christian martyrs or soldiers killed in battle.  That leaves disease as a likely culprit.  DNA investigations are ongoing in an attempt to find genetic evidence that may remain locked in the skeletal remains.

What I found most interesting, however, wasn't the mystery of their identities but the manner of their burial.  Many individuals bear similar funerary practices, indicating a certain percentage of the corpses belong to the same cultural group.  The corpses are positioned with their legs outstretched, ankles touching, and their arms flat against their sides.  Their shoulders are tightly compressed which indicates the bodies were bound tightly, and then the individual bundles were covered in plaster.  Traces of powdered amber and gold thread were found inside.  One corpse still wears a black ring around his or her finger.  Gold earrings were also discovered.  All of this attests to the individuals being wealthy.

The bodies were then stacked inside the tombs.  Most were laid out in neat rows and layered one on top of the other, but a few were turned slightly on a precise axis.  According to the documentary, the tombs contained more bodies than would have fit were the bodies still covered in flesh and soft tissue, another indication they were interred in waves.  A group of people were placed inside and allowed to decompose over time before another layer of bodies was added.

In the end, the documentary postulated that the tombs may contain members of the Equities Singulares Augusti, the personal cavalry of the Roman emperor, and their wives.  They would have been comprised of members who hadn't been born in Rome and may have come from Northern Africa.  No one can say for certain, though, and the investigation still continues.  I look forward to following the details.

If you would like to read further, this was a fascinating article that goes into more detail.

Rosalia Lombardo

My interest in Rosalia Lombardo, also known as The Sleeping Beauty, started after seeing her featured in an episode of Scariest Places on Earth that used to run on ABCFamily.  This was back before I knew about the wonders of the internet (I was a late bloomer,) so I spent years remembering this little girl and being unable to look up appropriate information on her.  Thankfully, that was rectified when I joined the Age of Enlightenment.

Unfortunately, there isn't a wealth of information to be had.  Rosalia was born in December of 1918 in Italy and died just two short years later on December 6, 1920.  A recent investigation produced non-invasive CT scans of her body from which doctors upheld reports that she died of bronchopneumonia.  More detailed information of the CT scans can be found here.  Her father, rumored to be Mario Lombardo, secured permission for his child to be entombed inside the Capuchin Catacombs  in Palermo, Italy (one of the last bodies to be interred there) and contracted Alfredo Salafia to prepare her body for the afterlife.  She was placed inside a glass coffin, covered in a silk blanket, and adorned with an amulet of the Virgin Mary.

Dario Piombino-Mascali, who has published a study on the mummies of the Capuchin Catacombs, tracked down Salafia's descendants in 2009.  He discovered the formula used to preserve the body from remaining memoirs and paperwork.  The embalming process included formalin (a disinfectant and tissue hardener,) salt (to leach moisture from the tissue,) zinc (a petrifying agent,) salicylic acid (another preservative,) and glycerin (to preserve the organs and prevent over-drying.)  The results of this formula have been remarkable, and her internal organs remain intact but for minor shrinkage.

An unusual phenomenon has garnered attention from the the paranormal community.  Temperature and atmospheric variations inside the catacombs cause Rosalia's eyelids to appear as though they are opening, revealing a sliver of intact eyeballs.  This has led some to believe her spirit remains near her body, and some intrepid paranormal enthusiasts claim her body can become host to any wandering spirits in the area.

Recently, Rosalia's body has begun to show signs of deterioration.  Her skin is becoming discolored and spotted, and her hair is lightening from its natural brunette color.  Some blame this on changes in the atmosphere inside the tomb while others claim it's a result of the high traffic she draws to the catacombs and camera flashes.  For a time, a National Geographic expedition moved her glass coffin into a sealed, glass enclosure filled with nitrogen gas to prevent decay, but her body has since been removed and returned to its original location inside the catacombs.

The Footage That Started My Research

Note:  The Capuchin Catacombs in Palermo are considered a must-see tourist attraction.  If you're ever in the area, it might make a fascinating destination.